Just diagnosed

Jennifferm

Hi, I'm brand new to the site although I have been reading posts since my biopsy on Friday. I don't know a lot right now...will be getting pathology report tomorrow and meeting BS number one on Friday and Second opinion BS on Monday. I guess I want to know what I should be asking the doctors. This came out of left field...was found on annual mamo. I'm 47 and just got married a month ago! My husband will be super supportive but I feel out of control emotionally. Based on some other posts i got out pen and paper to write down questions but nothing came...I literally do not know where to start. Any help would be great. Thanks.

ali68

Hi Hun,great news you just got married and sad you are here. What to ask? I think if you look on here they have a list to look at. Do you know if you have breast cancer or waiting for results.

Jennifferm

I do have breast cancer. Just waiting to meet with surgeon. Thanks for replying. I had never even heard of DCIS before last week. Amazed to find such an incredible resource.

Beesie

Jenniffer, sorry to hear that you've been diagnosed but I'm glad that you've found us.

Here are a few things that you will want to know.  While none of this can be known for sure until after surgery, from the biopsy and your films you should be able to get preliminary information.

What is the grade of the DCIS? 

What is the estimate of the size of the area of DCIS?  

What you want is to get an idea as to whether it appears that you are dealing with a small, likely low risk diagnosis of DCIS, or a larger and/or more aggressive diagnosis of DCIS.  This can have big implications on your treatment decisions.  It also affects the risk that something more than DCIS might be found during your surgery - that is always a possibility, and something that you need to be aware of.  Of course it's less likely if the DCIS appears to be small and low grade versus if it's larger and/or high grade.  

Additionally, you want to get an idea as to whether the surgeon believes that a lumpectomy is feasible, and if so, whether radiation is likely to be recommended.  Or does the size of the mass suggest that a mastectomy might be necessary?

Have you had an MRI?  If not, often an MRI is done between the diagnosis and the surgery because MRIs are more sensitive than mammos and they sometimes show a larger area of concern than what is seen on the mammo. This can have implications to the surgery, so it's good information for you to have, and for your surgeon to have. Ask about having an MRI if you haven't yet had one. 

At this point, that's probably the top line.  Once you have the preliminary pathology, then you start making decisions about how to treat this.

Good luck with your appointments.  

Jennifferm

Bessie, thank you! I am getting my pathology report tomorrow and have seen on this site how to decipher it. I meet with the surgeon on Friday. I will post back with more questions as I go. Thank God for all of you ladies that dedicate time to this...I don't feel so alone.

crystalphm

What a scary thing it is to be told you have cancer....I would suggest along with asking questions to take someone with you as well as a pen and paper. The doctor can give so much information so quickly and it is hard to get it all, especially since we are upset. Ask for your pathology report...in my own case, the doctor had a nurse who was available to answer questions, so I got her phone number and met with her.

I am wishing you the best.

Moderators

Jennifferm, on the main Breastcancer.org site there's a list of Questions to Ask Your Doctor that can get you started.

Let us know how your meetings with the doctors go, and if you have any more questions. You can always count on the community here for information and support - welcome aboard.

The Mods

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